


Reluctant Suitors

by rosied



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Canon Misogyny, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-15 08:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7214698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosied/pseuds/rosied
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For men like Bingley and Darcy, marriage is an unwelcome necessity. Bingley believes he has a solution, but can he persuade Darcy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reluctant Suitors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theoldgods](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoldgods/gifts).



_Assembly, Meryton_

At the first assembly in Meryton since Mr Charles Bingley had come into the country, he was dancing every dance and enjoying himself greatly, as was his custom. His friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, as was _his_ custom, was keeping himself to the walls of the assembly room, avoiding every attempt at introduction made by the local residents, and venturing forth rarely to dance with one of Mr Bingley's sisters. The stony expression on his face was only varied by an occasional slight smile and head-shake at his friend's antics.

Mr Bingley, who was talking to Miss Jane Bennet after dancing the last set with her, finally lost his patience. He excused himself to his companion, and went to remonstrate with Mr Darcy. “Come, Darcy,” said he, “I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.” He lowered his voice and added, “You know these occasions are unavoidable, and they will be made much more bearable, and even enjoyable, if you make the effort to take part fully in them.”

“I certainly shall not dance. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At an assembly such as this it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged at present, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment for me to stand up with.” He added sotto voce, “If it were only acceptable for men to dance together, I would find these occasions much more agreeable. But since it is not, I shall resent the necessity of being mostly out of your company for an entire evening. It is not in my nature to do otherwise.”

Bingley smiled at this, but continued to chide Darcy. “I would not be as fastidious as you are,” he cried, “for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty.”

“YOU have been dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.

“Oh, she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld!” agreed Bingley enthusiastically. Then, seeing an expression of hurt mixed with annoyance flit across his friend's face, he whispered, “Oh come now, you know you would take it amiss if I said that _you_ were the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But for all her beauty, she does not move me even half as much as gazing upon your person does.” At this point, he caught sight of Miss Elizabeth Bennet sitting close by, and said, “Look, Darcy! There is one of Miss Bennet's sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask Miss Bennet to introduce you.”

“Which do you mean?” and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt ME. Bingley, I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”

Bingley laughed. “I do not consider any time spent with you to be wasted, no matter how obstinate you are being, but I believe for the moment I shall take your advice.” Saying this, he went back to Jane, who was talking with Miss Charlotte Lucas and her younger sister Maria, and engaged her attention toward himself.

The Misses Lucas were soon joined by Elizabeth, who gaily related to them the comments which Mr Darcy had made about her to the accompaniment of much laughter. Bingley, who could not help but overhear their conversation, was much amused by it, and looked toward Darcy with a smile and a shake of his head. Darcy, somewhat pink of cheek, walked hastily off to another part of the room.

\---------- 

_Netherfield, sometime later, after the meeting with Wickham in Meryton_

"Wait - _that_ was Wickham? I see what you mean about how personable he can be. But what brings him here, of all places? Surely he cannot have followed you here to try and extort more money from you?" 

"No - I am sure it must be a damnable co-incidence. He would know better than to seek me out after I put a stop to his attempt to elope with my sister. But Charles, what are we to do about him? Surely we can not allow him to indulge in his customary reprehensible behaviour with the people of Meryton. But I will not speak of his actions towards Georgiana, and if I give a general warning it is unlikely to be accepted, since I am not popular with the people in these parts, and he will soon make himself so."

"It is by your own fault that you are unpopular, you know."

"You are quite correct, Charles; I admit it freely and will endeavour to improve my ways in future. But for now it cannot be helped - and yet I cannot allow Wickham to proceed freely without giving some warning."

"Let me think on it... wait! I have it! The matter is simple; you must write to your cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam without delay, acquainting him with our current problem and requesting that he speak to Colonel Forster as a fellow military man and a commanding officer. He should tell the colonel of Wickham's behaviour at university, which he knows from observation, and say that, from what he has heard since, he believes that Wickham's nature has not changed. That should be sufficient to ensure that Colonel Forster will keep a close watch on Wickham, and will be ready to act at the first sign of trouble. Also, convey to your cousin an invitation to join our party here at Netherfield, which will provide the reason for him to come to the area."

"That is an excellent idea, Charles! I envy you greatly for the ability you have to come up with tactful ways to handle such situations; it is an ability I lack completely."

"Oh, you are not totally deficient, but still, I am always grateful to have a chance to repay in some small way the prodigious great care you take of me. In any case, my tact is at your disposal for however long you choose to keep me close, and I hope that will be all our lives."

"As do I, my dearest Charles

\----------

_Netherfield, the day after the ball_

"Fitz, I need to speak to you in private - there is something I must tell you. Come into the study; we will not be disturbed there."

The two friends adjourned to the study, where Bingley invited Darcy to be seated and offered him a drink.

A feeling of foreboding suddenly gripped Darcy. Had Charles become so enamoured of Miss Bennet that he no longer wished to continue their deeper relationship?

Confirming his worst fears, Bingley said, "I have decided to ask Miss Bennett to marry me." He was about to continue speaking, but Darcy put up a hand to stop him.

"Say no more, Bingley. I perfectly comprehend you and will not stand in your way. Please allow me to be the first to wish you very happy. I shall tell my cousin that I have decided to begin our visit to our aunt at Rosings early this year, and we will leave tomorrow. Now if you will excuse me." He stood up to leave the room.

Bingley was looking at him in amazement. "What on earth are you talking about, Fitz? Why such formality, and why do you wish to leave?"

"You have made it clear that you no longer have feelings for me; surely you cannot expect me to stay?"

"I have done no such thing. My attachment to you is as strong as ever, as I would have assured you if you had allowed me to finish what I was saying."

"Then why do you wish to marry Miss Bennet?"

Bingley looked exasperated. “I have tried to speak to you about this before, but you always put me off. We _must_ marry, Fitz, you _know_ we must; we are expected to produce heirs. I would have thought that the Master of Pemberley above all people would be conscious of this, and I wonder that I should be the first of us to address this matter."

"But why Miss Bennet?"

"Jane Bennet is the most agreeable girl I have ever met, and I think I would be able to make as good a marriage with her as is possible for men like us. I believe she would not object at all to you and I spending as much time together as we do now." He smiled impishly and added, "Maybe even more, since we would not be expected to attend so many assemblies!"

Darcy felt that a weight was off his heart. He could not resist smiling back at his friend, and rose and pulled him into an embrace, which was eagerly returned. "I apologize for my hasty judgement, Charles; I should have known better."

"And I apologise for my tactless way of going about informing you; you cannot be blamed for taking it amiss."

There was silence for a while while the two reaffirmed their commitment to each other without the need for words. 

Then Bingley spoke again. “I have given some thought to the matter of marriage over the last few weeks, as you can imagine, and I came to the further conclusion that you could do worse than marry Elizabeth Bennet; it is obvious that she is not a fortune-seeker, and she is not in awe of your status in society, which I think is a good thing, because you are a little too pleased with that at times. In fact, I believe that you secretly enjoy her teasing; I know you too well for you to be able to keep such secrets from me! Also the fact that she and Jane are close friends in addition to being sisters would mean they would welcome the fact that we would be always visiting each other.”

“But we would be marrying so much beneath our status – our relatives would not approve of the matches at all, and might even disown us!”

“For myself, their status is not a problem; in fact, though you are always kind enough to overlook it and not hold it against me, I would be marrying above my station by wedding Miss Bennet. And truly, there is not really any difference in status between you and Elizabeth if you think on it; you are a gentleman, and she is a gentleman's daughter. It is actually the difference in your fortunes that seems to be the problem, and that is really not insurmountable.

“As for being disowned, my family will certainly not do so. Doubtless Caroline and Louisa will not be happy about the match, but they will make sure not to show it, as they would not be invited to visit otherwise, and they would not care to be deprived of such invitations. And... er.. would being disowned by Lady Catherine de Bourgh... how can I put this...?”

“Yes, Charles, I take your point; that might not count as a disadvantage... You have certainly given me a lot to think about. Maybe this could work out in all our favours.”

“Yes indeed; the only problem with it is that Elizabeth dislikes you intensely.”

“What? How can she?”

“I believe referring to her as being 'tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt ME' on the occasion of your first meeting probably prejudiced her against you.”

“Ah. Yes. I had forgotten about that.”

“I very much doubt the lady has. But if you put yourself in my hands, even that will not be insurmountable.”

“You know I welcome every opportunity to put myself in your hands, my dear Charles.”

Bingley laughed. “Indeed I do! In fact I believe it is time for us to adjourn to bed; further discussion may wait until tomorrow.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> A small amount of the dialogue has been borrowed from the book; thank you, Miss Austen :)


End file.
